Emily Giffin: The One & Only

We’ve all been there – feeling your heart flutter just a little too much for someone we should absolutely not be having heart flutters for. While most of us feel it, few of us actually act on those flutters – especially when the flutters are for your best friend’s recently widowed father. Emily Giffin tackles this very topic in her latest novel, The One & Only.

Normally, I can devour Giffin’s novels in a matter of days. However, The One & Only didn’t go down quite as smoothly as her others. I found myself both disgusted by and rooting for Shea Rigsby in her unraveling of her feelings for Coach. But, a good story has the ability to make us feel all sorts of feels … discomfort, anxiety, happiness, confusion, fear and all those other complicated human emotions that we strive to avoid. Shea felt every one of these and then some and through Giffin’s writing, I too went through all of these emotions.

Aside from feeling emotionally uncomfortable by Shea ‘s love her for recently widowed mentor, the only other thing that bothered me was that at times it felt as if part of the story line was forced – Shea’s entire relationship with Ryan, for example. I felt the way it started and ended was contrived just to drive the point of Shea’s feelings for Coach home more so than necessary.

Discomfort aside, The One & Only was a great read – not an easy, comfortable read, but a great one. The writing was on par with Giffin’s previous novels and the characters were well developed, for the most part. If you are looking for an emotionally challenging and interesting read this summer, check it The One & Only.